Electromechanical and electronic video gaming machines have long been cornerstones of the gaming industry. Because gaming machines are an important source of income for the gaming industry, casinos continually search for new ways to improve gaming machine capabilities, efficiency, and reliability.
Gaming machines, generally display game outcomes as an array of symbols. For each wager, the reels are rotated and stopped to randomly place symbols on the reels in visual association with a display area. Specific symbol combinations and their geometric distribution in the array determine winning outcomes.
There are three main types of gaming machines: mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic. The original slot-type gaming machines were entirely mechanical. Electromechanical gaming machines replaced all-mechanical gaming machines. The electromechanical gaming machines use a microprocessor to determine a random outcome and electrical motors to spin and stop the mechanical reels. The electronic video gaming machine subsequently supplanted the mechanical reels of the electromechanical gaming machine with a video monitor to simulate mechanical reels.
Progress brought electronic video gaming machines into gaming establishments. The advantage of the electronic video gaming machine is that the video display allows game designers to introduce games that could never be practically carried out with an electromechanical gaming machine. As a result, traditional table games such as video poker, keno, and bingo were adopted for use on electronic gaming machines. Today, electronic video gaming machines share the floor with electromechanical slot-type games.
The use of microprocessors significantly advanced the state of the art of gaming machines. The microprocessor gives the gaming machine much greater latitude in determining random game outcomes. Random game outcomes are determined by a random number generator driven by the CPU. A probability table contains all possible game outcomes with each game outcome linked to a number. The random number generated is used to look up the corresponding game outcome in the probability table. The CPU signals the stepper motors to drive and position the reels based on the randomly determined game outcome.
Microprocessor driven gaming machines allow gaming manufacturers to design slot games with more flexible pay tables. With a properly constructed pay table, microprocessor driven gaming machines can offer high value but low probability awards while still offering low value but high probability awards—offering a range of awards that all-mechanical slot machines cannot.
The power of the microprocessor has enabled the introduction of new gaming machine capabilities that allow the addition of entirely new classes of features and functions. These features and functions can be enabled in a variety of different combinations to operate on a wide variety of different technological platforms. In order to enable these features, when gaming machines are first set up, they must be configured to casino specifications. The configuration parameters enable the gaming machine to network with the casino's existing central computer systems to coordinate with the casinos cashless gaming systems, wagering processes, accounting procedures, player tracking data collection, etc.
Gaming machines networked to the gaming establishment's central computer systems must be configured to establish communications. Some configuration parameters involve the selection of communication protocols for communication between the gaming machine and host system that includes: selection of the host ports for electronic funds transfers, establishing gaming machine communication addresses, host communication protocol bonus control, etc.
A number of configuration parameters must also be set to customize the gaming machine for the wagering process used by the gaming establishment. These specifications include: the selection of payout devices (such as hopper or ticket printer, or both), selection of payout options (e.g., split pays from both the hopper and ticket printer), the option of printing a hand pay receipt, and controlling ticket printer parameters.
The gaming machine may also be configured to customize the presentation of the game. These configuration parameters include: gaming machine lighting, speaker volume, presentation of multi-games, payback percentages, etc.
The configuration parameters discussed above are only a few of the configuration) parameters that are potentially available. Some additional miscellaneous configuration categories include: ticket-in control configuration, validation control, validation type, manual ticket time and date entry, ticket common data, and gaming machine operating modes (including demonstration and diagnostic mode). Within each of these categories are a number of different selections, and even sub-selections.
The number and complexity of configuration parameters requires considerable technician time to set up. The configuration process requires selecting and implementing operating parameters for each gaming machine. The gaming machine is manually configured through an extensive set of administration menus. Some parameters require multiple menus and value entries to be completely configured.
The electromechanical gaming machine and the electronic video gaming machine use different methods to set configuration parameters. The electronic video gaming machine has a video display with a touch screen that can be used as an input device to configure the gaming machine. The technician is stepped through the configuration process with instructions and options displayed on the video display for each configuration parameter. The technician selects configuration parameter using the touch screen panel.
In contrast, the configuration of electromechanical gaming machines is particularly problematic. As the mechanical gaming machine does not have a video display, technicians must rely on the information presented in the gaming machine's bet, credit, and win meter display windows (collectively referred to as the meter display). Because the meter display's main function is to convey numeric information during game play, it is not an ideal device for displaying alphanumeric configuration information. The information that can be displayed by the meter display is limited (three-five characters per window) and is generally numerically coded. The technician must either memorize the codes or look up the appropriate codes during the configuration process.
To configure a typical electromechanical gaming machine, technicians must use the meter display windows to scroll through and select specific gaming function codes with push buttons on the gaming machine. Typically, the “Max Bet” button and the “Spin Reels” button on the pushbutton panel, a key switch on the side of the gaming machine cabinet, and the diagnostic button inside the cabinet are typically used to scroll through and select specific gaming function codes as they appear in the meter display. During this process, the gaming machine cabinet door must remain partially open to allow the operator access to the diagnostic button inside the cabinet. The technician must alternate positions—between the inside and the outside of the cabinet—to reach the diagnostic button, view the meter display, and use the pushbuttons. This becomes a time-consuming, tedious, and error-prone process.
Further, if the technician makes a mistake during the configuration process—which is relatively easy to do—the configuration process must start over from the very beginning. This is particularly frustrating as the gaming machine must often be RAM cleared (reset)—a process that generally requires 5 to 10 minutes. This of course is contingent on the technician recognizing that a programming error has been made—there is no hard copy verification that the gaming machine has been configured correctly.
Today both electromechanical and video gaming machines coexist in gaming establishments, each having a significant market share. Electromechanical type gaming machines have a loyal following that trust the mechanical nature of the machine. Electronic video gaming machines attract individuals interested in the game play features and animations that can be presented on a video screen.
Regardless, of the features that can be offered on the electronic video gaming machine, electromechanical gaming machines maintain a significant share of the gaming machine market. Because of the difficulty configuring electromechanical gaming machines, these machines operate at a significant disadvantage to their electronic video counterparts. Overcoming the problems associated with configuring hundreds, if not thousands, of new gaming machines (whether they are electromechanical or electronic gaming machines), is an expensive process. What is needed is a method to automate the configuration process of gaming machines to reduce the time required to set up configuration parameters and increase the accuracy of the configuration process.